Block-grant money at center stage during council debate

After a lengthy debate that touched on such hot-button issues as race, crime and education, members of the Common Council on Wednesday rejected an attempt to reconsider the reallocation of $1 million in 2014 Community Development Block Grant funds.

At center stage was an amendment put forth earlier this summer by Ald. Joe Davis. That amendment, which had already passed the council, called for diverting $500,000 in block-grant money to the Milwaukee Promise program and the Black Male Achievement Advisory Council.

Those two groups, Davis argued, are best equipped to address issues related to poverty, crime and lack of education in the African-American community in Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Promise is intended to demonstrate a commitment by the city to be responsible and accountable in all spending related to alleviating poverty and reducing joblessness.

The Black Male Achievement Advisory Council was created and empowered to make recommendations to the Common Council on the issue of African-American male achievement.

Davis, who declined to speak to a reporter after the council meeting, argued in council chambers that something else needed to be done to address the city’s crime problem besides allocating $500,000 to pay for more police overtime.

Davis repeatedly called crime in the city a “systemic problem.” And he said the allocation of money to the Milwaukee Promise and the Black Make Achievement Advisory Council was not a “black and white issue. It’s a Milwaukee issue.”

Ald. Michael Murphy said the net effect of the reallocation was taking $1 million out of existing programs. Patrick Curley, Mayor Tom Barrett’s chief of staff, said the $1 million was targeted to deal with the city’s housing and foreclosure crisis. He added that the city’s budget office was studying the impact of Davis’ amendment.

Both Davis and Ald. Ashanti Hamilton were particularly incensed by a city attorney’s opinion stating the diversion of federal money to the Black Male Achievement Advisory Council would violate federal discrimination laws because the money would be limited to one class of citizen: black males.

Both aldermen challenged Asst. City Atty. Ellen Tangen, who wrote the opinion. Called before the council, Tangen repeatedly said the ordinance that created the Black Make Achievement Advisory Council was limited by race and sex and therefore was discriminatory if the advisory council received federal funds.

Tangen advised council members that if they went ahead and allocated the funds to the advisory council, they should check with federal authorities first.

“Given the wording of the ordinance, you will have a problem with HUD,” Tangen said.